Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California as the 3 public segments of postsecondary education in the state. Existing law establishes community college districts throughout the state, and authorizes them to provide instruction to students at community college campuses.

This bill would establish the Cal-Bridge Program as an intersegmental partnership program between the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California with a mission of creating a pathway that promotes the advancement of Californias diverse undergraduate public postsecondary student population majoring in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines to pursue STEM doctors of philosophy (PhDs) and become members of Californias professorate or leaders in Californias technology industry. The bill would specify the goals of the program, including, among other goals, the goal of preparing students to apply to PhD programs in STEM disciplines, particularly University of California STEM PhD programs. The bill would include 3 Cal-Bridge subprograms to provide resources, research opportunities, and financial support to qualifying public postsecondary undergraduate, PhD, and postdoctoral STEM scholars in their pursuit of becoming members of the Californias professorate or leaders in Californias technology industry. The bill would require an executive director to be hired to administer the program, would require the executive director to hire support staff for the program, and would authorize funding appropriated for purposes of the program to be used for specified activities. The bill would apply to the University of California only to the extent that the Regents of the University of California by appropriate resolution make it applicable. The program would be implemented only upon an appropriation by the Legislature for its purposes.

Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California as the 3 public segments of postsecondary education in the state. Existing law establishes community college districts throughout the state, and authorizes them to provide instruction to students at community college campuses.

This bill would establish the Cal-Bridge Program as an intersegmental partnership program between the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California with a mission of creating a pathway that promotes the advancement of Californias diverse undergraduate public postsecondary student population majoring in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines to pursue STEM doctors of philosophy (PhDs) and become members of Californias professorate or leaders in Californias technology industry. The bill would specify the goals of the program, including, among other goals, the goal of preparing students to apply to PhD programs in STEM disciplines, particularly University of California STEM PhD programs. The bill would include 3 Cal-Bridge subprograms to provide resources, research opportunities, and financial support to qualifying public postsecondary undergraduate, PhD, and postdoctoral STEM scholars in their pursuit of becoming members of the Californias professorate or leaders in Californias technology industry. The bill would require an executive director to be hired to administer the program, would require the executive director to hire support staff for the program, and would authorize funding appropriated for purposes of the program to be used for specified activities. The bill would apply to the University of California only to the extent that the Regents of the University of California by appropriate resolution make it applicable. The program would be implemented only upon an appropriation by the Legislature for its purposes.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Senator Anna Caballero, Chair

2023 - 2024 Regular Session

AB 2349 (Wilson) - Public postsecondary education: Cal-Bridge Program

Bill Summary:

This bill establishes, subject to appropriation, the Cal-Bridge Program, as an intersegmental partnership program between the California Community Colleges (CCCs), the California State University (CSU), and the University of California (UC) to promote diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

Fiscal Impact:

• While the bill’s provisions would be contingent upon an appropriation, by codifying and expanding the Cal-Bridge Program, this bill could result in General Fund cost pressures in the millions to low tens of millions of dollars each year. To serve about 200 students (or scholars), the program’s costs would be approximately $12.8 million. This amount would be higher or lower depending on the number of program participants.

• The CSU estimates General Fund costs of $1.5 to $2 million each year for administrative expenses and indicates that it has historically split the costs with the UC.
• The Chancellor’s Office estimates minor, ongoing Proposition 98 General Fund costs for participating community colleges to provide support for the implementation of the program, which may include updates to advising materials and developing intersegmental agreements with UC and CSU partners.

Background:

The existing Cal-Bridge program was founded in 2014 as a partnership between UC, CSU, and CCC and designed to increase the number of CSU students pursuing a PhD program in the STEM fields. The partnership has over 200 faculty from the three systems, and recruits under-represented students from CSU and CCC campuses across the state with the help of local faculty or staff liaisons at each campus. CCC students transfer to a participating CSU to join the program. In the Cal-Bridge Summer program, students are selected from the same network of all 23 CSUs and 116 CCCs to spend 8-10 weeks conducting research in STEM disciplines at one of 20 major research institutions in California and across the country. To be eligible for the Cal-Bridge program, applicants must be 18 years old, enrolled in a CSU campus with a physics, astronomy, computer science, or mathematics major, or a CCC student transferring to a 4-year institution. Once a student has joined, the student receives intensive faculty mentoring, need-based scholarships of up to $10,000 per year, professional development, and summer research opportunities.

Proposed Law:

This bill establishes, subject to appropriation, the Cal-Bridge Program as an intersegmental partnership program between the CCC, CSU, and UC and requires that the program be independent of the CCC, CSU, and UC but be housed at either a CSU or UC campus.

This bill requires the recruitment of CCC, CSU, and UC students majoring in STEM disciplines into the Cal-Bridge Program and requires that the program have specified goals, including the preparation of students to apply to PhD programs in STEM disciplines, particularly UC STEM PhD programs and supporting students in becoming PhD scholars and preparing them to become competitive postsecondary faculty candidates and leaders in California’s technology industry.

This bill requires that the Cal-Bridge Program consist of the Cal-Bridge undergraduate program, the Cal-Bridge Doctoral Program, and the Cal-Bridge postdoctoral program and also requires the Cal-Bridge Undergraduate Program to provide all of the following various supports, as specified, to CCC and CSU undergraduate scholars majoring in STEM disciplines with the goal of supporting them to successfully apply to STEAM PhD programs.

This bill requires the Cal-Bridge Doctoral Program to provide all of the following types of support to students in CSU and UC STEM PhD programs, particularly those in the UC system, to prepare them to become competitive postsecondary faculty candidates or leaders in California’s technology industry: financial support towards completing their PhD degrees; professional development in pedagogy and research leadership; and mentorship by Cal-Bridge-participating faculty that supplements the doctoral mentorship that these scholars receive in their PhD programs.

This bill requires that the Cal-Bridge Postdoctoral Program provide additional preparation for postdoctoral scholars to become competitive faculty candidates and that the program include all of the following: two-year postdoctoral positions; on-campus research opportunities under the direct supervision of a STEAM-instructing faculty member of the applicable segment; and CSU postdoctoral scholars teaching opportunities at the segment as the instructors of record.

This bill authorizes funding appropriated for purposes of the bill to be used to offer any of the following:

1. Financial support to Cal-Bridge Undergraduate and Doctoral Program scholars.
2. Summer research opportunities to Cal-Bridge Undergraduate Program scholars.
3. Salaries and benefits to Cal-Bridge Postdoctoral Program scholars.
4. Financial support for Cal-Bridge Program meetings and workshops relating to professional development, including travel expenses, venue rentals, stipends, and hiring consultants.
5. Stipends to UC, CSU, and CCC faculty who take on the Cal-Bridge Program mentorship or professional development roles.
6. Financial support to UC, CSU, and CCC faculty who take on leadership roles in the Cal-Bridge Program, including course release funding, summer salaries, and stipends.
7. Cal-Bridge Program administrative salaries or stipends.

This bill states that its provisions are applicable to the UC only to the extent that the UC Regents make them applicable, and would be contingent upon an appropriation of funding.

Staff Comments:

The National Science Foundation funded the Cal-Bridge program until 2022. The 2022 Budget Act provided $5 million in General Fund to support the program, and then the 2023 Budget Act provided an additional $4 million in General Fund. This bill would codify and expand the Cal-Bridge Program while the author’s office has submitted an accompanying five-year budget request for the program, totaling $89.6 million. The request for the 2024-25 fiscal year is $12.8 million.

-- END --

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Senator Josh Newman, Chair

2023 - 2024 Regular

Bill No: AB 2349 Hearing Date: June 12, 2024

Subject: Public postsecondary education: Cal-Bridge Program.

SUMMARY

This bill establishes, subject to appropriation, the Cal-Bridge Program, as an intersegmental partnership program between the California Community Colleges (CCC), the California State University (CSU), and the University of California (UC) to promote diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields with the goal of increasing diversity in the STEM professorate and technology industry.

BACKGROUND

Existing law:

1) Establishes the Donahoe Higher Education Act, setting forth the mission of the

CCC, the CSU, and the UC. (Education Code (EC) Section 66010, et seq.)

2) Stipulates that the CCC is under the administration of the CCC Board of Governors and specifies that the CCC consists of community college districts. (EC § 70900)

ANALYSIS

This bill:

1. Establishes, subject to appropriation, the Cal-Bridge Program as an intersegmental partnership program between the CCC, CSU, and UC and requires that the program be independent of the CCC, CSU, and UC but be housed at either a CSU or UC campus.
2. Requires the recruitment of CCC, CSU, and UC students majoring in STEM disciplines into the Cal-Bridge Program and requires that the program have the following goals:
   1. Preparing students to apply to PhD programs in STEM disciplines,

particularly UC STEM PhD programs.

• 1. Supporting students in becoming PhD scholars and preparing them to

become competitive postsecondary faculty candidates and leaders in California’s technology industry.

• 1. Offering postdoctoral opportunities in the UC and CSU systems to further

prepare students to become faculty in California’s postsecondary education system.

• 1. Maintaining an ongoing support network of scholars and faculty to support

the continuation and growth of the Cal Bridge Program and to create a community of support.

1. Requires that the Cal-Bridge Program consist of the Cal-Bridge undergraduate program, the Cal-Bridge Doctoral Program, and the Cal-Bridge postdoctoral program and:
   1. Requires the Cal-Bridge Undergraduate Program to provide all of the

following types of support to CCC and CSU undergraduate scholars majoring in STEM disciplines with the goal of supporting them to successfully apply to STEAM PhD programs:

• • 1. Mentorship by CSU and UC faculty.
    2. Financial support towards completing their undergraduate degrees.
    3. Professional development focused on guiding them through the

PhD application process.

• • 1. Research opportunities in their STEM disciplines.

1. Requires that the Cal-Bridge Doctoral Program provide all of the following types of support to students in CSU and UC STEM PhD programs, particularly those in the UC system, to prepare them to become competitive postsecondary faculty candidates or leaders in California’s technology industry:
   1. Financial support towards completing their PhD degrees.
   2. Professional development in pedagogy and research leadership.
   3. Mentorship by Cal-Bridge-participating faculty that supplements the

doctoral mentorship that these scholars receive in their PhD programs.

1. Requires that the Cal-Bridge Postdoctoral Program provide additional preparation for postdoctoral scholars to become competitive faculty candidates and that the program include all of the following:
   1. Two-year postdoctoral positions.
   2. On-campus research opportunities under the direct supervision of a

STEAM-instructing faculty member of the applicable segment.

• 1. CSU postdoctoral scholars teaching opportunities at the segment as the

instructors of record.

1. Authorizes funding appropriated for purposes of the bill to be used to offer any of the following:
   1. Financial support to Cal-Bridge Undergraduate and Doctoral Program

scholars.

• 1. Summer research opportunities to Cal-Bridge Undergraduate Program

scholars.

• 1. Salaries and benefits to Cal-Bridge Postdoctoral Program scholars.
  2. Financial support for Cal-Bridge Program meetings and workshops

relating to professional development, including travel expenses, venue rentals, stipends, and hiring consultants.

• 1. Stipends to UC, CSU, and CCC faculty who take on the Cal-Bridge

Program mentorship or professional development roles.

• 1. Financial support to UC, CSU, and CCC faculty who take on leadership

roles in the Cal-Bridge Program, including course release funding, summer salaries, and stipends.

• 1. Cal-Bridge Program administrative salaries or stipends.

1. States that the provisions of this bill are applicable to the UC only to the extent that the UC Regents make them applicable.
2. Makes the provisions of this bill contingent upon an appropriation of funding.
3. Finds and declares all of the following:
   1. The Cal-Bridge Program is an intersegmental partnership of the CSU, the

UC, and the CCC.

• 1. The mission of the Cal-Bridge Program is to create a pathway that

promotes the advancement of California’s diverse undergraduate public postsecondary student population who major in STEM disciplines to pursue STEM PhDs and become members of California’s professorate or leaders in California’s technology industry.

• 1. By providing a comprehensive, end-to-end pathway for the diverse

undergraduates of the state’s public postsecondary system to attain a PhD and join the California STEM professorate and technology industry leadership, the Cal-Bridge Program would transform higher education in California.

• 1. By diversifying the California STEM professorate, the number of STEM

majors from groups traditionally excluded from those disciplines would increase as those students see faculty who look like them.

• 1. Training the next generation of technology industry leaders with PhDs in

their disciplines would similarly transform the technology industry to make it more diverse and effective by using the full potential of the diverse California population.

1. Defines various terms for the purposes of the bill.

STAFF COMMENTS

1. Need for the bill. “The STEM public university professoriate in California does not come close to reflecting the state’s diversity. As a consequence, large numbers of students from groups underrepresented in the science and technology workforce leave STEM majors before completing their BS degree, thereby grossly underutilizing the talent of the state. California needs to enact Cal-Bridge to broaden opportunities by identifying and nurturing the diverse talent of all Californians.

“For the past ten years, the Cal-Bridge program has brought together the three segments of the California higher education system (CC, CSU, and UC) to provide a comprehensive, end-to-end pathway for California’s diverse STEM undergraduates to attain a PhD and join the state’s public university faculty.

“Cal-Bridge has already been proven successful—multiple graduates from this program have obtained tenure-track faculty jobs in the CSU and CCC systems.”

1. Cal-Bridge program is an existing program established in 2014. The Cal-Bridge program is a partnership between UC, CSU, and CCC faculty that aims to increase the number of CSU students from groups traditionally underrepresented in astronomy and physics who complete bachelor's degrees and enter a PhD program, particularly at one of the participating UC campuses (Irvine, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, and Santa Barbara). The main Cal-Bridge program is a partnership between 9 UCs, 22 CSUs, and CCC, with over 200 faculty from the three systems participating. Scholars are recruited from CSU and CCC campuses across the state, with the help of local faculty or staff liaisons at each campus. CCC students transfer to a participating CSU to join the program. In the Cal-Bridge Summer program, students are selected from the same network of all 23 CSUs and 116 CCC to spend 8-10 weeks conducting research in STEM disciplines at one of 20 major research institutions in California and across the country. To be eligible for the Cal-Bridge program, applicants must be 18 years old, enrolled in a CSU campus with a physics, astronomy, computer science, or mathematics major, or a CCC student transferring to a 4-year institution. For Cal-Bridge Summer, students enrolled in either a CSU or a CCC are eligible. This bill attempts to codify the program in an effort to create stability for the program overtime.
2. Benefit to students. Once selected, Cal-Bridge Scholars benefit from financial support, intensive joint mentoring by CSU and UC faculty, professional development workshops, and exposure to research opportunities at the participating UC campuses. Specifically, students benefit from: 1) joint intensive mentoring by two faculty, one from their home CSU campus and the other from a nearby UC campus; 2) substantial need-based scholarships up to $10,000 per year to allow the scholars to reduce work hours and focus on academics; 3) professional development workshops designed to prepare the scholars to successfully apply to PhD programs; and 4) providing summer research opportunities, primarily through the Cal-Bridge Summer program.
3. Undergraduate and graduate degree diversity. Information provided by the author demonstrates the lack of representation in STEM degrees, specifically doctoral degrees, from underrepresented groups. According to a recent report of the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, “Hispanic, Black, and American Indian or Alaska Native persons collectively account for 37 percent of the U.S. population ages 18–34 years in 2021 and 26 percent of science and engineering bachelor’s, 24 percent of science and engineering master’s, and 16 percent of science and engineering doctoral degrees earned by U.S. citizens and permanent residents in 2020. In 2020, women were underrepresented among degree recipients at all degree levels in physical and earth sciences, mathematics and computer sciences, and engineering.” In total, 90% of Cal-Bridge scholars with a bachelor’s of science degree are either in a PhD program or hope to be soon. Seemingly, this program provides a benefit to the state.
4. Program funding. The National Science Foundation funded the Cal Bridge program until 2022. The state has stepped in to support the program. The 2022 budget act provided $5 million in General Fund dollars to the program, and the 2023 budget act provided $4 million in General Fund dollars. The author’s office has submitted a five-year budget request for the program, totaling $89.6 million, and 75 percent of that funding is for direct scholar support. The budget request for 2024-25 is $12.8 million. This bill aims to serve as the implementing language for an accompanying budget request.

SUPPORT

American Association of University Women San Jose

California Faculty Association

California Life Sciences

Faculty Association of California Community Colleges

OPPOSITION

None received

-- END --

ASSEMBLY THIRD READING

ATR Bill Id:AB 2349

Author:(Wilson)

As Amended Ver:March 6, 2024

Majority vote

SUMMARY

Establishes the Cal-Bridge Program as an intersegmental partnership program between the California Community Colleges (CCC), the California State University (CSU), and the University of California (UC), with a mission of creating a pathway that promotes the advancement of California's diverse undergraduate public postsecondary student population majoring in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines to pursue STEM doctors of philosophy (PhDs) and become members of California's professorate or leaders in California's technology industry.

Major Provisions

1. Establishes the Cal-Bridge Program as a fully intersegmental partnership program between the CCC, CSU, and UC.
2. Stipulates that the Cal-Bridge Program shall be independent of the CCC, CSU, and UC, but it shall be administratively housed at either a campus of the CSU or UC.
3. Specifies that CCC, CSU, and UC students majoring in STEM disciplines shall be recruited into the Cal-Bridge Program.
4. Creates three discreet programs under the Cal-Bridge Program. Each is meant to build on the other to ultimately secure faculty or leadership positions for program participants. The three programs are:
   1. The Cal-Bridge Undergraduate Program, which is to provide undergraduate students with faculty mentorship, financial support toward degree completion, professional development, and research opportunities;
   2. The Cal-Bridge Doctoral Program, which is to provide doctoral students with financial support towards completing their PhDs, professional development, and mentorship by Cal-Bridge Program-participating faculty; and,
   3. The Cal-Bridge Postdoctoral Program, which is to provide Cal-Bridge postdoctoral scholar positions to postdoctoral scholars, provide faculty member sponsors to Cal-Bridge postdoctoral scholars, and allow Cal-Bridge postdoctoral scholars to teach courses as the instructor of record.

COMMENTS

According to data provided by the author, the lack of diversity in the California's public colleges and universities (i.e. the CCC, the CSU, and the UC), of STEM faculty is a persistent problem with multiple negative consequences, from low numbers of students from historically underrepresented (HU) groups participating in STEM education and training, to the lack of diversity in the state's science and technology workforce.

California's science and technology industries are a main economic driver of the state's economy. Over 1.5 million people are employed in the tech industry in California representing 8% of the total workforce. The industry represents an even larger percentage (17%) of the State's economy, generating over half a trillion ($526 billion) of economic activity annually. However, due to a lack of diversity in these industries, the state grossly underutilizes its talent: only 15% of the 1.5 million tech workers in California are Black (3%) or Latinx (12%), and only 26% are women despite the latter two groups each comprising half the State's population.

Data suggests that the reasons for this lack of diversity are multifaceted, but one key factor leading students from underrepresented minority (URM) groups to exit STEM educational pathways is the lack of faculty who reflect their backgrounds. National Science Foundation (NSF) data indicate that 70% of URM [Black, Latinx, and Native American] students who declare a STEM major do not complete their bachelor's degree, compared with 40% for non-URM students. Further, another leading cause of why URM students leave STEM majors is the lack of faculty role models.

Cal-Bridge. The Cal-Bridge Program is a CSU-UC partnership designed for CSU students interested in pursuing a PhD in physics, astronomy, computer science, computer engineering, or related fields. The Cal-Bridge Program was founded in 2014, by Alexander Rudolph, PhD. And together with faculty from both the CSU and UC system, the Cal-Bridge Program has maintained operations for 10 years. The founder currently serves as the Executive Director of the Program and is a tenured faculty member at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona). The Executive Director, along with the assistance of faculty from various campuses of the CSU and the UC operate the Cal-Bridget Program. Additionally, the faculty team has four staff members also employed at various campuses assisting in a variety of roles.

The Cal-Bridge Program utilizes research-validated selection methods to identify students from URM groups who display strong socioemotional competencies along with academic potential and provides them with the support necessary to successfully matriculate to a PhD program, ideally at a UC campus. Undergraduate students at all 23 CSU campuses, along with CCC students from the 115 brick and mortar CCC campuses who are transferring to a CSU and majoring in one of the current disciplines in the Cal-Bridge Program, are eligible to apply to join the Program.

The Cal-Bridge Program recruits CSU and CCC students entering their junior year at a CSU. Once selected, Cal-Bridge Scholars benefit from the four pillars of support (as referenced in the figure below) in: 1) joint intensive mentoring by two faculty, one from their home CSU campus, the other from a nearby UC campus; 2) substantial need-based scholarships up to $10,000 per year to allow the scholars to reduce their work hours to less than 10 hours per week and focus on academics; 3) professional development workshops designed to prepare the scholars to successfully apply to PhD programs; and, 4) provide summer research opportunities, primarily through the Cal-Bridge Summer Program (also known as CAMPARE).

The Four Pillars of Support of the Cal-Bridge Program - Source: the NSF under Grant DUE-1741863

According to information provided by the author, students who have participated in the Cal-Bridge Program have a 70% acceptance rate into PhD programs with their first application. The first cohort of students have obtained not only their bachelor of science degrees, but their doctoral degrees as well, and have joined the ranks of faculty at the CCC, CSU, and UC.

Funding for the first eight years of the Cal-Bridge Program came exclusively from the NSF. The last two years the Cal-Bridge Program received one-year funding in the Annual Budget Act: $5 million in 2022-23 and $4 million in 2023-24. All the NSF funding was directed to Cal Poly Pomona as well as half the $5 million from the State received in 2022-23. The other half has been administered by a faculty at UC Santa Cruz along with the $4 million received in 2023-24.

This measure is meant to codify the Cal-Bridge Program and centralize the administration at one participating campus.

The author, in concert with this measure, has submitted a five-year budget request for the Cal-Bridge Program, totaling $89.6 million. The table below itemizes the budget request. The budget request for fiscal year one (2024-25) is $12.8 million. (Roughly 75% of the funding request will go directly to supporting students.)

Five-year budget request for the Cal-Bridge Program

According to the Author

The author contends that, "faculty diversity is important not only so that California public universities reflect the state's population, but also because one of the key factors leading students to exit STEM pathways is the lack of faculty who reflect their backgrounds. Diversifying the professoriate will lead to a growth in HU representation in the tech workforce more broadly by increasing the number of students from HU groups completing a STEM bachelor's degree. As countries around the world are increasing their investment in science and technology, making sure our state and nation uses all of the available talent in developing our scientific and technological capabilities is a national security concern."

Further, the author states, "the STEM public university professoriate in California does not come close to reflecting the state's diversity. As a consequence, large numbers of students from groups underrepresented in the science and technology workforce leave STEM majors before completing their BS degree, thereby grossly underutilizing the talent of the state. California needs to enact Cal-Bridge to broaden opportunities by identifying and nurturing the diverse talent of all Californians."

Lastly, the author states that, "for the past ten years, the Cal-Bridge Program has brought together the three segments of the California higher education system (CCC, CSU, and UC) to provide a comprehensive, end-to-end pathway for California's diverse STEM undergraduates to attain a PhD and join the state's public university faculty. Cal-Bridge has already been proven successful—multiple graduates from this program have obtained tenure-track faculty jobs in the CSU and CCC systems."

This measure seeks to codify the Cal-Bridge Program.

The author contends that, "by codifying the Cal-Bridge Program, it will directly address the lack of STEM diversity in all levels of California's higher education: undergraduate majors, doctoral (PhD) students, and the professoriate. By providing a suite of support (financial aid, intensive mentoring, professional development, and research opportunities) shown by research to promote success for students from groups historically underrepresented individuals in STEM education. This includes women, URMs, members of the LGBTQ+ community, disabled students. The Cal-Bridge Programs reduce inequities for and provide opportunities to these students not currently easily available, increasing the engagement of these students and promoting diversity in all levels of California's higher education system."

Arguments in Support

The Council of UC Faculty Associations (CUCFA), an umbrella organization for the Faculty Associations (FAs) at each UC campus and dedicated to protecting the interests of UC faculty stated, "CUCFA supports AB 2349 for several reasons. The program's unique approach of knitting together all the segments of the California Higher Education system has propelled more than 70% of its undergraduate scholars into PhD programs, many of whom enrich our own graduate programs throughout the UC system – a success rate that is unprecedented in programs of this nature. Its focus on supporting those students both financially and academically throughout their graduate studies here at UC promises to prepare them well for faculty and STEM leadership positions here in California, leveraging the program's efforts by providing role models for future students that will compel them to persevere in pursuit of their academic goals. It's long been a goal of UC faculty to attain a demographic makeup more reflective of our State's population. We are excited to support the Cal-Bridge Program as a promising avenue for achieving that goal, and one that is notable for how it has grown from the "grass roots" of the faculty of our three Higher Education systems."

The CUCFA contends that "this bill would help stabilize this unique program across these three frequently siloed segments of our Higher Education system."

Arguments in Opposition

None on file.

FISCAL COMMENTS

According to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations, ongoing General Fund costs, depending on the number of Cal-Bridge Program participants served in the program. To serve about 200 scholars in the way envisioned by the author, costs would be about $12.8 million. To serve about 530 scholars, cost would be about $25.2 million. The author has submitted a budget request for this program.

VOTES

ASM HIGHER EDUCATION: 11-0-0

YES: Mike Fong, Ta, Arambula, Boerner, Chen, Essayli, Irwin, Jackson, Low, Muratsuchi, Quirk-Silva

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 15-0-0

YES: Wicks, Sanchez, Arambula, Bryan, Calderon, Wendy Carrillo, Dixon, Mike Fong, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Jim Patterson, Pellerin, Ta, Villapudua

UPDATED

VERSION: March 6, 2024

CONSULTANT: Jeanice Warden / HIGHER ED. / (916) 319-3960 FN: 0003214

Date of Hearing: April 17, 2024

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Buffy Wicks, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2349

Author:(Wilson) – As Amended Ver:March 6, 2024

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill establishes, subject to appropriation, the Cal-Bridge Program, as an intersegmental partnership program between the California Community Colleges (CCC), the California State University (CSU), and the University of California (UC) to promote diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields with the goal of increasing diversity in the STEM professorate and technology industry.

Specifically, this bill creates three discreet programs under the Cal-Bridge Program. Each is meant to build on the other to ultimately secure faculty or leadership positions for program participants. The three programs are:

1. The Cal-Bridge Undergraduate Program, which is to provide undergraduate students with faculty mentorship, financial support toward degree completion, professional development, and research opportunities.
2. The Cal-Bridge Doctoral Program, which is to provide doctoral students with financial support towards completing their PhDs, professional development, and mentorship by Cal-Bridge Program-participating faculty.
3. The Cal-Bridge Postdoctoral Program, which is to provide Cal-Bridge postdoctoral scholar positions to postdoctoral scholars, provide faculty member sponsors to Cal-Bridge postdoctoral scholars, and allow Cal-Bridge postdoctoral scholars to teach courses as the instructor of record.

FISCAL EFFECT:

Ongoing General Fund costs, depending on the number of Cal-Bridge Program participants served in the program. To serve about 200 scholars in the way envisioned by the author, costs would be about $12.8 million. To serve about 530 scholars, cost would be about $25.2 million. The author has submitted a budget request for this program, as described in comment #2.

According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the General Fund faces a structural deficit in the tens of billions of dollars over the next several fiscal years.

COMMENTS:

1. Purpose. According to the author:

For the past ten years, the Cal-Bridge Program has brought together the three segments of the California higher education system (CCC, CSU, and UC) to provide a comprehensive, end-to-end pathway for California’s diverse STEM undergraduates to attain a PhD and join the state’s public university faculty. Cal-Bridge has already been proven successful—multiple graduates from this program have obtained tenure-track faculty jobs in the CSU and CCC systems…by codifying the Cal-Bridge Program, it will directly address the lack of STEM diversity in all levels of California’s higher education: undergraduate majors, doctoral (PhD) students, and the professoriate. By providing a suite of support (financial aid, intensive mentoring, professional development, and research opportunities) shown by research to promote success for students from groups historically underrepresented individuals in STEM education.

1. Background. The Cal-Bridge Program was founded in 2014 as a partnership between UC and CSU designed for CSU students interested in pursuing a PhD in STEM fields. The program has an executive director and is assisted by faculty and staff from various CSU and UC campuses. The Cal-Bridge Program recruits under-represented CSU and CCC students entering their junior year at a CSU. Once a student has joined, the student receives intensive faculty mentoring, substantial need-based scholarships up to $10,000 per year, professional development, and summer research opportunities.

The National Science Foundation funded the program until 2022. The 2022 budget act provided $5 million in General Fund dollars to the program and the 2023 budget act provided $4 million in General Fund dollars.

This bill seeks to codify and expand the Cal-Bridge Program and is intended to be the implementing language for an accompanying budget request. Specifically, the author has submitted a budget request to the Legislature for consideration, totaling $90 million over five years. The author has requested $12.8 million be allocated to the program in the 2024 budget act.

Analysis Prepared by: Natasha Collins / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: April 2, 2024

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Mike Fong, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2349 (

Author:Wilson) – As Amended Ver:March 6, 2024

SUBJECT: Public postsecondary education: Cal-Bridge Program.

SUMMARY: Establishes the Cal-Bridge Program as an intersegmental partnership program between the California Community Colleges (CCC), the California State University (CSU), and the University of California (UC), with a mission of creating a pathway that promotes the advancement of California’s diverse undergraduate public postsecondary student population majoring in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines to pursue STEM doctors of philosophy (PhDs) and become members of California’s professorate or leaders in California’s technology industry. Specifically, this bill:

1. Establishes the Cal-Bridge Program as a fully intersegmental partnership program between the CCC, CSU, and UC.
2. Stipulates that the Cal-Bridge Program shall be independent of the CCC, CSU, and UC, but it shall be administratively housed at either a campus of the CSU or UC.
3. Specifies that CCC, CSU, and UC students majoring in STEM disciplines shall be recruited into the Cal-Bridge Program.
4. Requires the Cal-Bridge Program to have all of the following goals:
   1. Preparing students to apply to PhD programs in STEM disciplines, particularly UC STEM PhD programs;
   2. Supporting students in becoming PhD scholars and preparing them to become competitive postsecondary faculty candidates and leaders in California’s technology industry;
   3. Offering postdoctoral opportunities in the UC and CSU systems to further prepare students to become faculty in California’s postsecondary education system; and,
   4. Maintaining an ongoing support network of scholars and faculty to support the continuation and growth of the Cal-Bridge Program and to create a community of support.
5. Stipulates that the Cal-Bridge Program shall consist of the following three distinct, but interrelated, programs:
   1. The Cal-Bridge Undergraduate Program, which shall provide all of the following types of support to CCC and CSU undergraduate scholars majoring in STEM disciplines with the goal of supporting them to successfully apply to STEM PhD programs:
      1. Mentorship by CSU and UC faculty;
      2. Financial support towards completing their undergraduate degrees;
      3. Professional development focused on guiding them through the PhD application process; and,
      4. Research opportunities in their STEM disciplines.
   2. The Cal-Bridge Doctoral Program, which shall provide all of the following types of support to students in CSU and UC STEM PhD programs, particularly those in the UC system, to prepare them to become competitive postsecondary faculty candidates or leaders in California’s technology industry:
      1. Financial support towards completing their PhD degrees;
      2. Professional development in pedagogy and research leadership; and,
      3. Mentorship by Cal-Bridge Program-participating faculty that supplements the doctoral mentorship that these scholars receive in their PhD programs.
   3. The Cal-Bridge Postdoctoral Program, which shall provide additional preparation for postdoctoral scholars to become competitive faculty candidates. The Cal-Bridge Postdoctoral Program shall include all of the following:
      1. Cal-Bridge postdoctoral scholar positions shall each be a two-year postdoctoral position;
      2. UC and CSU Cal-Bridge postdoctoral scholars shall be sponsored by a STEM-instructing faculty member of the applicable segment and receive on-campus research opportunities under the direct supervision of the faculty member; and,
      3. CSU postdoctoral scholars shall teach classes at the segment as the instructors of record.
6. Specifies that funding appropriated for purposes of implementing the Cal-Bridge Program may be used to offer any of the following:
   1. Financial support to Cal-Bridge Undergraduate and Doctoral Program scholars;
   2. Summer research opportunities to Cal-Bridge Undergraduate Program scholars;
   3. Salaries and benefits to Cal-Bridge Postdoctoral Program scholars;
   4. Financial support for Cal-Bridge Program meetings and workshops relating to professional development, including travel expenses, venue rentals, stipends, and hiring consultants;
   5. Stipends to UC, CSU, and CCC faculty who take on Cal-Bridge Program mentorship or professional development roles;
   6. Financial support to UC, CSU, and CCC faculty who take on leadership roles in the Cal-Bridge Program, including course release funding, summer salaries, and stipends; and,
   7. Cal-Bridge Program administrative salaries or stipends.
7. Stipulates that, consistent with existing law, this measure only applies to the UC only to the extent that the UC Regents make it applicable.
8. Stipulates that this measure can be implemented only upon an appropriation by the Legislature for its purposes.
9. Finds and declares all of the following:
   1. The Cal-Bridge Program is an intersegmental partnership of the CSU, the UC, and the CCC;
   2. The mission of the Cal-Bridge Program is to create a pathway that promotes the advancement of California’s diverse undergraduate public postsecondary student population who major in STEM disciplines to pursue STEM PhDs and become members of California’s professorate or leaders in California’s technology industry;
   3. By providing a comprehensive, end-to-end pathway for the diverse undergraduates of the state’s public postsecondary system to attain a PhD and join the California STEM professorate and technology industry leadership, the Cal-Bridge Program would transform higher education in California;
   4. By diversifying the California STEM professorate, the number of STEM majors from groups traditionally excluded from those disciplines would increase as those students see faculty who look like them; and,
   5. Training the next generation of technology industry leaders with PhDs in their disciplines would similarly transform the technology industry to make it more diverse and effective by using the full potential of the diverse California population.
10. Defines the following terms for purposes of the Cal-Bridge Program:
    1. “Cal-Bridge Program” means the statewide program established pursuant to this measure;
    2. “CCC” means the California Community Colleges;
    3. “CSU” means the California State University;
    4. “PhD” means doctor of philosophy;
    5. “Scholars” means students participating in the Cal-Bridge Program;
    6. “STEM” means science, technology, engineering, and mathematics;
    7. “STEM disciplines” include, but are not limited to, physics, astronomy, computer science, computer engineering, mathematics, and statistics disciplines; and,
    8. “UC” means the University of California.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Establishes the Donahoe Higher Education Act, setting forth the mission of the CCC, the CSU, and the UC (Education Code (EC) Section 66010, et seq.).
2. Stipulates that the CCC is under the administration of the CCC Board of Governors; and, specifies that the CCC consist of community college districts (EC Section 70900).

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS: Need for the measure. According to data provided by the author, the lack of diversity in the California’s public colleges and universities (i.e. the CCC, the CSU, and the UC), of STEM faculty is a persistent problem with multiple negative consequences, from low numbers of students from historically underrepresented (HU) groups participating in STEM education and training, to the lack of diversity in the state’s science and technology workforce.

California’s science and technology industries are a main economic driver of the state’s economy. Over 1.5 million people are employed in the tech industry in California representing 8% of the total workforce. The industry represents an even larger percentage (17%) of the State’s economy, generating over half a trillion ($526 billion) of economic activity annually. However, due to a lack of diversity in these industries, the state grossly underutilizes its talent: only 15% of the 1.5 million tech workers in California are Black (3%) or Latinx (12%), and only 26% are women despite the latter two groups each comprising half the State’s population.^[1]

Data suggests that the reasons for this lack of diversity are multifaceted, but one key factor leading students from underrepresented minority (URM) groups to exit STEM educational pathways is the lack of faculty who reflect their backgrounds. National Science Foundation (NSF) data indicate that 70% of URM [Black, Latinx, and Native American] students who declare a STEM major do not complete their bachelor’s degree, compared with 40% for non-URM students.^[2] Further, another leading cause of why URM students leave STEM majors is the lack of faculty role models.^[3]

The author contends that, “faculty diversity is important not only so that California public universities reflect the state’s population, but also because one of the key factors leading students to exit STEM pathways is the lack of faculty who reflect their backgrounds. Diversifying the professoriate will lead to a growth in HU representation in the tech workforce more broadly by increasing the number of students from HU groups completing a STEM bachelor's degree. As countries around the world are increasing their investment in science and technology, making sure our state and nation uses all of the available talent in developing our scientific and technological capabilities is a national security concern.”

Further, the author states, “the STEM public university professoriate in California does not come close to reflecting the state’s diversity. As a consequence, large numbers of students from groups underrepresented in the science and technology workforce leave STEM majors before completing their BS degree, thereby grossly underutilizing the talent of the state. California needs to enact Cal-Bridge to broaden opportunities by identifying and nurturing the diverse talent of all Californians.”

Lastly, the author states that, “for the past ten years, the Cal-Bridge Program has brought together the three segments of the California higher education system (CCC, CSU, and UC) to provide a comprehensive, end-to-end pathway for California’s diverse STEM undergraduates to attain a PhD and join the state’s public university faculty. Cal-Bridge has already been proven successful—multiple graduates from this program have obtained tenure-track faculty jobs in the CSU and CCC systems.”

This measure seeks to codify the Cal-Bridge Program.

The author contends that, “by codifying the Cal-Bridge Program, it will directly address the lack of STEM diversity in all levels of California’s higher education: undergraduate majors, doctoral (PhD) students, and the professoriate. By providing a suite of support (financial aid, intensive mentoring, professional development, and research opportunities) shown by research to promote success for students from groups historically underrepresented individuals in STEM education. This includes women, URMs, members of the LGBTQ+ community, disabled students. The Cal-Bridge Programs reduce inequities for and provide opportunities to these students not currently easily available, increasing the engagement of these students and promoting diversity in all levels of California’s higher education system.”

Cal-Bridge. The Cal-Bridge Program is a CSU-UC partnership designed for CSU students interested in pursuing a PhD in physics, astronomy, computer science, computer engineering, or related fields. The Cal-Bridge Program was founded in 2014, by Alexander Rudolph, PhD. And together with faculty from both the CSU and UC system, the Cal-Bridge Program has maintained operations for 10 years. The founder currently serves as the Executive Director of the Program and is a tenured faculty member at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona). The Executive Director, along with the assistance of faculty from various campuses of the CSU and the UC operate the Cal-Bridget Program. Additionally, the faculty team has four staff members also employed at various campuses assisting in a variety of roles.

The Cal-Bridge Program utilizes research-validated selection methods to identify students from URM groups who display strong socioemotional competencies along with academic potential and provides them with the support necessary to successfully matriculate to a PhD program, ideally at a UC campus. Undergraduate students at all 23 CSU campuses, along with CCC students from the 115 brick and mortar CCC campuses who are transferring to a CSU and majoring in one of the current disciplines in the Cal-Bridge Program, are eligible to apply to join the Program.

The Cal-Bridge Program recruits CSU and CCC students entering their junior year at a CSU. Once selected, Cal-Bridge Scholars benefit from the four pillars of support (as referenced in the figure below) in: 1) joint intensive mentoring by two faculty, one from their home CSU campus, the other from a nearby UC campus; 2) substantial need-based scholarships up to $10,000 per year to allow the scholars to reduce their work hours to less than 10 hours per week and focus on academics; 3) professional development workshops designed to prepare the scholars to successfully apply to PhD programs; and, 4) provide summer research opportunities, primarily through the Cal-Bridge Summer Program (also known as CAMPARE).  

The Four Pillars of Support of the Cal-Bridge Program - Source: the NSF under Grant DUE-1741863

According to information provided by the author, students who have participated in the Cal-Bridge Program have a 70% acceptance rate into PhD programs with their first application. The first cohort of students have obtained not only their bachelor of science degrees, but their doctoral degrees as well, and have joined the ranks of faculty at the CCC, CSU, and UC.

Funding for the first eight years of the Cal-Bridge Program came exclusively from the NSF. The last two years the Cal-Bridge Program received one-year funding in the Annual Budget Act: $5 million in 2022-23 and $4 million in 2023-24. All the NSF funding was directed to Cal Poly Pomona as well as half the $5 million from the State received in 2022-23. The other half has been administered by a faculty at UC Santa Cruz along with the $4 million received in 2023-24.

Committee comments. Committee Staff understands that this measure is meant to codify the Cal-Bridge Program and centralize the administration at one participating campus.

Committee Staff also understands that the author, in concert with this measure, has submitted a five-year budget request for the Cal-Bridge Program, totaling $89.6 million. The table below itemizes the budget request. The budget request for fiscal year one (2024-25) is $12.8 million. (Roughly 75% of the funding request will go directly to supporting students.)

Five-year budget request for the Cal-Bridge Program

Arguments in support. The Council of UC Faculty Associations (CUCFA), an umbrella organization for the Faculty Associations (FAs) at each UC campus and dedicated to protecting the interests of UC faculty stated, “CUCFA supports AB 2349 for several reasons. The program’s unique approach of knitting together all the segments of the California Higher Education system has propelled more than 70% of its undergraduate scholars into PhD programs, many of whom enrich our own graduate programs throughout the UC system – a success rate that is unprecedented in programs of this nature. Its focus on supporting those students both financially and academically throughout their graduate studies here at UC promises to prepare them well for faculty and STEM leadership positions here in California, leveraging the program’s efforts by providing role models for future students that will compel them to persevere in pursuit of their academic goals. It’s long been a goal of UC faculty to attain a demographic makeup more reflective of our State’s population. We are excited to support the Cal-Bridge Program as a promising avenue for achieving that goal, and one that is notable for how it has grown from the “grass roots” of the faculty of our three Higher Education systems.”

The CUCFA contends that “this bill would help stabilize this unique program across these three frequently siloed segments of our Higher Education system.”

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

Cal-Bridge Alumni Council
California Life Sciences
Council of UC Faculty Associations
Faculty Association of California Community Colleges
UC Santa Cruz Graduate Student Association
University of California Student Association

Individuals (28)

Opposition

None on file.

Analysis Prepared by: Jeanice Warden / HIGHER ED. / (916) 319-3960

1. Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) annual Cyberstates report:

   https://www.cyberstates.org/index.html#interactiveMap?geoid=6__california ↑

2. National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics. Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2023. Available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf23315/report ↑

3. Stout, Rebecca, et al., “The relationship between faculty diversity and graduation rates in higher education” (Intercultural Education, November 7, 2017) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/14675986.2018.1437997 ↑